If you’re curious about each of Vancouver’s 10 Michelin-starred restaurants but can’t seem to snag a reservation at the popular dining establishments, read on for our reviews.
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Achieving the coveted accolade is no easy task. Whether a restaurant is worthy or not requires they meet and exceed Michelin’s five criteria: quality of products, harmony of flavours, mastery of cooking techniques, voice and personality of the chef, and consistency between each visit and throughout the menu.
If you’re curious about each of Vancouver’s 10 Michelin-starred restaurants but can’t seem to snag a reservation at the popular dining establishments, read on for Mia’s reviews.
Here’s a list of the 10 Michelin-starred restaurants in Vancouver.
Sushi Masuda
Location: 1066 West Hastings St., Vancouver
“Bestowing the one-star to Sushi Masuda, inspectors said this: ‘Entering this humble five-seat counter that is tucked in the corner of an unrelated restaurant and through the glass doors of a print shop serves as a pointed reminder not to judge a book by its cover.
‘The plain, spare room is brought to life by the artfully simple, meticulous preparations of Chef Yoji Masuda, whose time spent in a top counter in Tokyo is amply apparent, though his own personality comes through.
‘With the assistance of his wife Akari, who provides a warm, attentive hospitality, the meal proceeds gracefully, from an indulgent savory ‘pudding’ of sweet, pure-tasting monkfish liver to a wonderfully gelatinous beltfish cooked with sake and kombu, before arriving at the impeccable nigiri, which showcases exceptional ingredients alongside a singular delicacy and precision.’”
Published on Main
Location: 3593 Main St., Vancouver
“We ordered lamb heart, trusting the chef would do it justice and boy, did he ever with no hint of gaminess. It was marinated in toasted spices, herbs, lemon peel, ginger, garlic, quickly grilled and served with two sauces, one with a yogurt-base and another with a burnt eggplant base. Green merguez and white beans accompanied the dish.”
AnnaLena
Location: 1809 West First Ave., Vancouver
“I visited in its early days and the neighbourhood was enthused, filling most of the 65 seats. I was impressed with the front of house; servers are positive and upbeat.
“The fresh oysters, sitting atop a meringue cushion, had lots of joy — compressed apple, shaved foie gras (cooked in sous vide, puréed, rolled, frozen, then shaved) and jalapeno mignonette.”
iDen & Quanjude Beijing Duck House
Location: 2808 Cambie St., Vancouver
“At Quan Ju De, the room is a stunner, and the bathroom gleams with glittering gold. It’s about opulence and maybe even decadence.
“We had the signature Beijing duck ($98), carved tableside and I didn’t catch the nuances of carving, which is apparently more intricate than carving a Cantonese style roast duck. We did enjoy it two ways — the crispy skin and the duck meat with crepes and hoisin.
“Another haute dish, whole steamed yellow croaker fish with sweet sticky rice and Hua Diao wine was a showpiece (Ninja knife skills required). Lotus roots with snow peas, served on an edible nest was also cooked and presented with precision. I was impressed with the dim sum dishes — artfully crafted steamed scallops in a translucent green pouch, topped with caviar and gold leaf; the signature venison puffs in pastry were flaky and the swan taro pastries were elegant in green, crimson and white feathery taro.”
Kissa Tanto
Location: 236 East Pender St., Vancouver
“Kissa Tanto is a good reminder (and we need reminders) of what a fantastic food city this is. (Chef Joel) Watanabe navigates an Italian-Japanese course, a route on which he could drive off a cliff without a sixth sense about balance and harmony.
“I started my meal with the house-mate sourdough bread ($6) after our server extolled its goodness.Good advice. We hoovered it down. Such good bread with an elastic, moist crumb and a crisp, crackly crust. It comes with nori butter and olive oil.
“The fish of the day, described as flash-fried whole fish with daikon soy dipping sauce, turned out to be a collar from a 72-pound yellowfin tuna ($30). We snapped it up and it arrived looking like a half pterodactyl with its sweeping winged curves. It was glazed with soy kombu broth and the meat was moist and loose (tuna likes to head right to dry and dense upon cooking); cucumber salad provided a refreshing contrast.”
Okeya Kyujiro
Location:1038 Mainland St., Vancouver
“Chef Takuya Matsuda says many guests at his Montreal restaurant, Okeya Kyujiro, cry after their dinner experience at reminds them of family, ancestors, and Japan.
“But after visiting Okeya Kyujiro in Vancouver with a friend, I see Matsuda wasn’t exaggerating. The dinner is more than a $300 omakase, it’s a ceremony-ridden honouring of Japanese food and beauty. My friend was so moved by the total experience, she almost cried — she’s an award-winning filmmaker and definitely not a sentimental pushover.”
Burdock & Co.
Location:2702 Main St., Vancouver
“I really like this place. (Chef Andrea) Carlson takes her fine dining skills and funks it up, although the dishes could sit comfortably on most fine dining menus and they’re tastier than many haute dishes I’ve had in high-priced spots. The food looks fresh and vibrant and lively and skilfully presented.
OK, maybe you won’t find the lusty bowl of oxtail ramen with swiss chard kimchee in a la-di-da dining room but it’s delicious all the same.”
Barbara
Location: 305 East Pender St., Vancouver
“Crispy octopus with olives, dry-cured chorizo, scorched scallions and saffron aioli had deep earthy flavours. The octopus was beautifully tender after a 12-hours sous vide; it was further smoked and charred and deep-fried for another layer of flavour and texture.
Cauliflower flan (a half sphere of deliciousness cooked in a water bath) was nestled in a herb salad and surrounded by crispy fried cauliflower and roasted almonds.”
Masayoshi
Location: 4376 Fraser St., Vancouver
“And I finally hoofed it to Masayoshi in Fraserhood, which is getting to be a cool restaurant enclave in east Vancouver. Owner Masayoshi Baba spent 10 years as a sushi chef at Tojo’s while general manager Tomo Uchida worked front of house there for about six years, and there’s been growing buzz about Masayoshi.
“Service issues have dogged the first year, but there’s no denying the food quality and its artful presentation. The room is small and cheerful with a milky white glass chandelier, bonsai and Baba at the sushi counter.”
Have you been lucky enough to dine at any of Vancouver’s Michelin-starred restaurants? Let us know what you thought in the comments!